Pop

"Shows up when he said he would with flowers in his hand, chivalry ain't dead / While everybody seems to be looking at a phone screen, he's looking at me" sings aspiring singer-songwriter Josie Dunne on her new single "Old School". Billboard Magazine recently wrote an article about the 21-year old upcoming artist, a sweet artist who combines the catchiness of modern pop music with the soul of motown inspired R&B. On her debut single "Old School", Dunne showcases a kind of sweetness and pure picture of love that can be hard to find.

"10 Times Out of 10" is clinically poppy. The synth instrumentals and the wobbling electric additions immediately remind me of Cascada's 2007 hit, "Every Time We Touch." This album would work well as the basis for a plethora of remixes because a lot of the elements of an RPM remix are already there. I hesitated between alt and RPM when categorizing Amy Guess, but the necessities of alternative are all already here in this album: poppy, upbeat, lyrics tuned for the top 40 countdown.

Man, I gotta tell y’all, it’s difficult to review something that you just didn’t enjoy as much as you thought you were going to. I’ve honestly never written a negative review before, which is a small miracle for someone that’s been reviewing music for AT LEAST the last six months or so (a long and prosperous career, to be sure).

I don't know about anyone else, but in my own opinion pop music is sort of hitting a slump. Pop princesses like Katy Perry are putting out mediocre albums, once novel artists like Ed Sheeran fall prey to over-worked trends, and even Taylor Swift feels the need to be edgy and push back against what people have pigeonholed her as in the past.

Devin Dawson's single "All On Me" sounds like he tried to mix Ed Sheeran and Tim McGraw. This song is perfect for pop lovers and new age country. It has influences of old country but definitely has the fun, synthesized sound that new pop music has. This song is fantastic for people who are really into Ed Sheeran because of the sentimental and love filled lyrics. Good for radio and easy on the ears, Devin Dawson has a very calming and easy going voice. He easily sounds like a boy band sensation mixed with traditional Nashville sounds.

¡Hola! After kicking off 2017 with the release of “Cake” (then becoming the first American rapper to own a juice company) Flo Rida is back with a new single, teasing the release of his forthcoming, currently-untitled fifth album with “Hola”.

I'm going to start this review with a universal, basic truth: if you refuse to listen to textbook, chart-topping pop such as Miley Cyrus, Kelly Clarkson, or Carly Rae Jepsen out of some kind of misinformed hipster sense of superiority, you are deeply depriving yourself. Because this kind of music is awesome, and we are living in a great era for it. Despite the less than organic start to her musical career, Clarkson has spent a bit over a decade exploring various pop stylings and utilitizing her amazing voice on a myriad of different records, some good, some terrible.

Sounds Like:

Miley Cyrus, but like good Miley Cyrus when she does the "Jolene" cover

Sam Smith has achieved a near-pinnacle of heartfelt pop in his new album, “The Thrill of It All.” His success is trackable in Top 40s lists from the past several years; you may remember his feature on Disclosure’s

In Nick Heyward’s new album, "Woodland Echoes" he gives listeners a sound that creates an uplifting new take on classic sounds that have various instruments with an indie vibe to it. In his song "Mountain Top", Heyward’s voice resembles closely to that of Paul McCartney with an uppity pop guitar sound that mixes well along with a perfect country fiddle solo that makes you feel like you’re listening to a classic rock song released in the 60s.